Gospels

THREAD 1 · REACHING GOD

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden." And the tearful posachis: posakis ēthelēsa… kai ouk ēthelēsate: "how often I willed… and ye were not willing." The reaching God in tears over a city that refused.

THREAD 2 · CORPORATE ELECTION

"Upon this rock I will build my church"; "many are called, but few are chosen": the corporate people gathered around the King and entered by response.

THREAD 3 · ROYAL TRAJECTORY

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." The Gospel of the King: opening on the genealogy of the throne. The triumphal entry quotes Zech 9:9.

THREAD 4 · REAL RESPONSE

ou ēthelēsate: "ye would not." Aorist active indicative of thelō, 2nd person plural. They were unwilling. The parable of the wedding banquet: real invitations, real refusals.

THREAD 5 · DISPENSATIONAL

The Olivet Discourse: the dispensational blueprint of the Tribulation and the Second Coming. And the Great Commission: the new dispensational mission to all nations.

THREAD 6 · IN HIM UNION

"Emmanuel... God with us," and the closing "lo, I am with you alway": the King is the dwelling-presence, the Tabernacle become flesh.

THREAD 7 · WHOSOEVER WILL

"Come unto me, all ye that labour"; "as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage": the open invitation in the King's own voice.

THREAD 1 · REACHING GOD

"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners"; "Jesus beholding him loved him": the reaching God seeking the lost and the rich young ruler alike.

THREAD 3 · ROYAL TRAJECTORY

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." The Servant-King who came "to give his life a ransom for many." And before the high priest: "ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power."

THREAD 4 · REAL RESPONSE

ei tis thelei opisō mou akolouthein: "whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself." The conditional thelei. And Bartimaeus: cried out, kept crying out, threw away his cloak. Genuine volitional pursuit.

THREAD 6 · IN HIM UNION

"This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many": the covenant by which those who believe are brought into union with Him.

THREAD 7 · WHOSOEVER WILL

"Whosoever will come", the open invitation. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." The whole creation is in view.

THREAD 1 · REACHING GOD

The single most concentrated Thread 1 expression in the NT: Luke 15 (three parables of seeking). "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." And Luke 13:34 echoing Matt 23:37.

THREAD 2 · CORPORATE ELECTION

"He hath holpen his servant Israel... as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham": Mary names the corporate covenant people kept through the Seed.

THREAD 3 · ROYAL TRAJECTORY

"The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David... and of his kingdom there shall be no end": the royal trajectory named at the annunciation.

THREAD 4 · REAL RESPONSE

tēn boulēn tou theou ēthetēsan eis heautous: "rejected the counsel of God against themselves." Real rejection of real divine counsel. And: "if any man will (thelei) come after me…"

THREAD 6 · IN HIM UNION

"This cup is the new testament in my blood"; "tarry... until ye be endued with power": the covenant union and the promised indwelling.

THREAD 7 · WHOSOEVER WILL

The Great Banquet: "compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." And Zacchaeus: Jesus' welcome of the tax collector by name. The open door of Thread 7 in Luke's particular voice.

THREAD 1 · REACHING GOD

to phōs to alēthinon, ho phōtizei panta anthrōpon: "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." And the helkō argument: 6:44 vs 12:32, when I am lifted up, I will draw all men (pantas) unto me.

THREAD 2 · CORPORATE ELECTION

"Other sheep I have... one fold, and one shepherd"; "thine they were, and thou gavest them me": the flock given to the Son and entered by hearing His voice.

THREAD 3 · ROYAL TRAJECTORY

"Thou art the King of Israel"; "to this end was I born... that I should bear witness unto the truth": the royal trajectory owned by Jesus Himself.

THREAD 4 · REAL RESPONSE

ou thelete elthein pros me: "ye will not (thelete) come to me, that ye might have life." And 7:17: ean tis thelē ("if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine)." The whole gospel turns on thelō.

THREAD 5 · DISPENSATIONAL

"The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ"; the hour when worship moves past mountain and Jerusalem: the administrations turning.

THREAD 6 · IN HIM UNION

ho logos sarx egeneto kai eskēnōsen en hēmin: "the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled (eskēnōsen) among us." Exo 25:8 in Greek. And: "ye in me, and I in you." Union as the substance of the gospel.

THREAD 7 · WHOSOEVER WILL

pas ho pisteuōn eis auton: "whosoever believeth on him." Articular present active participle, x36 in John. And 6:37: "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." The open door of the canon's most-printed verse.